Friday, April 15, 2016

Self Publishing A to Z: Late! (& Lousy Reviews)

Welcome to the Trogloblog--for April, I'm participating in the epic A to Z Blogging Challenge, where Monday through Saturday, I'll be posting a letter-themed article about Self-Publishing...

LOUSY REVIEWS!

L is for Late! Today is a double-whammy posting, as I missed yesterday. On purpose.

The thing about being a self-publisher is that yes, you are your own boss, but you still need to stay on track and on schedule. Deadlines may be more malleable for the self-publisher, but they're still important. As I talked about in "J is for January", not having new material ready for peak seasons could cost you sales. Similarly, if you miss an interview, or a scheduled blog post, then it might cost you readers. Consistency is important. Readers have a wide selection of fiction sources. Show you're reliable by beign consistent. Don't be late!

That said, let's move on to the actual L listing for today, Lousy Reviews...

Earlier this month, I talked about there being three kinds of authors: those that one to sell, those that want to tell, and those who want a little bit of both. If you're in self-publishing for an ego stroke, beware Reviews. A cutting, truth-hurts blasting of your epic work may cut deeper than any knife and prove the pen is mightier than the sword. Your ego may be crushed, your confidence deflated. That first work might become your last....

If you're self-publishing because you wanted to start your own business--getting paid for something you enjoy doing--there are no such things as lousy reviews. Sure, sure, those little stars might sting a bit when they flow solo on your listing, but if you are viewing this as a business, you're in it for the long-haul and reviews are a great, free way to find out how you're doing...

Read your reviews closely. It's easy to spot a troll. Disregard what they say, but watch for comments. Amazon does give folks the ability to comment on reviews. For legit reviews, pay close attention to what's being said. It's market research of a sort. Note what readers like, or what they don't. If someone points out your book was fun, but had too many typos, up your proofing game and recreate the fun in your next book.

That's right, reviews are all about preparing for what comes next. They help you craft a better product by giving you feedback. Never ignore them...

...but never feed the trolls, either. Argue with a bogus reviewer and you'll lose some readers.